Of Lies and Deceit
by Deceptyn
Summary: A young girl, struggling to control the darkness in her heart goes out to take revenge on the so called 'friends' that left her for dead.
1. The Depths of Hollow Bastion

Hollow Bastion. The Heart of All Worlds. This tainted world that is infested by the dark creatures known as the heartless, wasn't always so evil. Before it was swallowed by darkness, it, like so many worlds out there, was peaceful. Pleasant. A magnificent place to behold. Many people dwelled within it's walls, but there were none as well known as the six children of Hallow Bastion. Sephiroth, Cloud, Squall, Aerith, Yuffie and Jade.

They were always doing something exciting, whether it be racing up the Rising Falls, playing hide and seek in the castle, or trying to sneak into the depths of Hollow Bastion, where it was rumoured that another girl had disappeared into. Not too many people knew this girl, but her name was supposedly Kairi. But no one knows for sure.

One day, Sephiroth had challenged Jade, the youngest of the six, to sneak into the depths of Hollow Bastion on her own. At first she was able to get pretty far no problem. But then she began hearing sounds coming from ahead. This was pretty freightening for her, a seven year old. But she kept moving on. She wasn't going to whimp out... Not now. But soon she saw what was making the noises. Little black creatures with glowing yellow eyes. They were so small, but they were swarming. She spun around and ran as fast as she could, screaming the entire time.

Above, Sephiroth was waiting at the secret entrance to the castle depths. Currently he was just thinking of how Jade might might be doing down there. Probably frozen in fear by now.. Then he heard Jade's scream echoing through the chamber. He laughed silently to himself. "tch, scared out of her mind already. "Sephiroth eyed the chamber longingly, waiting for Jade to come running back through the door.

"Sephiroth"

Sephiroth spun around, slightly spooked from the sudden arrival of none other than his own arch rival, Cloud. He growled, but Cloud was glaring right back.

"Who screamed?" Cloud questioned him, while grabbing the collar of Sephiroth's jacket.

Now, Sephiroth was 13 and Cloud was 10. The age difference was great, and Sephiroth could easily push him away. But he wasn't exactly in the mood to be pushing people around. He wanted to see Jade come running through the corridor. "Oh, its just Jade. I dared her to go down to the depths of the castle on her own. She probably just saw her reflection in a mirrior." Sephiroth responded, in a innocent tone.

Cloud could have slapped him. He let Jade go down alone? She could get hurt, or worse, killed! "Sephiroth, you knuckle head! How could you let her go down on her own! We need to go down and get her!" Cloud pulled Sephiroths collar so their noses were about an inch apart.

Now Sephiroth knew Cloud meant business. But it didn't make him any less unwilling to go. But again, he enjoyed watching Cloud yell at him. He might as well go rescue Jade from what was probably just her shadow.

Sephiroth teleported them both deep into the corridor, to the furthest spot they ever reached. Upon arrival they could hear Jade's screams coming from even further into the long hallway. Sephiroth rasied a brow. This was rather impressive for the standards he had set in his mind for Jade. He didn't expect her to get close to this spot, and she had gone even further.  
Cloud ran ahead, with his rival simply walking behind him, taking as much time as he could. Cloud didn't care, he didn't expect Sephiroth to be too cooperative. He was surprised he even helped him go further in faster. He continued running until he spotted Jade running down the hall, being pursued by a huge wave of these black, yellow eyed creatures.

Sephiroth had caught up, and at the sight of the creatures, he could only say one thing. "What the."

Cloud grabbed Jade as she ran by and he spread his leathery wings and flew as fast as he could, back towards the entrance, with Sephiroth flying close behind him. He and Sephiroth both shot orbs of fire back at the creatures, but it was no use. There was just too many. All they could do was run.

They soon made it out of the secret passageway and into the level above the castle entrance way. By now both Cloud and Sephiroth were exausted from flying, and couldn't raise their wings another beat. They couldn't jump while carrying jade, since they wouldn't even be able to glide with so much weight. Their only option was to go through the library.

They ran through the door and past dozens of shelves filled with books. At the desk near the stair well, Aerith, Yuffie and Squall were going through some books when they passed by. They all jumped up, and Yuffie was the one that yelled at them.  
"Hey! What do you think you are do- iyee!"

Soon Jade, Sephiroth and Cloud were joined by the trio as the black creatures came storming into the library. They ran as fast as they could until they were back at the entrance way. Out the front door and into the court yard. Squall slammed his palm into the red switch that activated the gondola. They all boarded the small platform and it took them down to the top of the Rising Falls.

As soon as the gondola stopped, they all stepped out onto the rocks, breathing heavily. They were safe at last. They didn't seem to be smart enough to activate the gondola, so they guessed that they would be okay.

Aerith looked up at the castle they abandoned, and then down to the base of the rising falls. It was then that she spotted the old airship builder they all knew as Cid. She then began jumping down, yelling to him. The other five followed, echoing her voice.

"Cid"

"Cid, up here"

"We need help"

They were all yelling at once, and Cid nearly stepped back off the rock he was sitting on as they all shouted at him. You can only imagine how difficult it was to understand something when it was being shouted at you by half a dozen children. It was down right impossible. So Cid did what any self respecting adult would do. Yell back.

"QUIET!" Cid yelled over top of the six. Silence came easy afterwards. Finally, after a deep breath, he continued in a much more calm matter. "Now, could one person tell me what the heck is going on around here"

The six all frowned sheepishly, before Jade started explaining. "Sephiroth dared me to go down into the depths of hollow bastion alone. I was doing okay at first, but then theses black creatures attacked me-" she began, but was interrupted by Cid.

"The Depths? Come on you guys you know better than that!" Cid growled, his voice directed mostly at Jade and Sephiroth. "I told you a hundred, I told you a thousand times to stay out of there- and what black creatures?"

Cloud stepped in now, talking animatedly to Cid. "I don't know what they were, but they were like tiny people with sharp claws, glowing eyes, wierd antennae and they can walk inside the walls! They came after us in a huge swarm, they chased all six of us all the way here"

Cid shook his head. This was a prediciment, if what they were saying was true. He would have to go up to the castle and see what was going on for himself. He sighed and looked down on the six. "I am going to go up to the castle and see what is going on for myself. You six are to stay here"  
He then made to begin jumping up the rocks to the gondola, but before he could make one leap, all six children grabbed him by his pants.

"You can't go up there, the monsters will attack you!" Jade said as she pulled on Cid.

Cid couldn't really do anything with them clinging to him so persistantly. He looked down at them displeasingly. They weren't going to let them go up and check things out. This wasn't a very good reason. But by the way they were acting, he didn't need to go check if they were telling the truth. It was obvious that they were serious. He could only give in to them.

"Fine then. We'll go down to the waterway. I have a ship down there that will take us out of here. Lets get a move on"  
Together, they jumped the rest of the way down the rising falls. They had almost reached the bottom, when they saw even bigger monsters waiting for them down there. "Go up! We'll have to get to the waterway through the castle! Move move move!"

The tension was on now. The creatures were climbing up towards them, and they couldn't fight them. Sephiroth and Cloud had retreated through the bubble that should have taken them all to the waterway, and it was now just Cid, Jade, Aerith, Squall and Yuffie climbing up.

They were about half way up, when suddenly the rock Jade had stepped on gave way, and she fell. "Jade!" Squall yelled, diving to the ground, hoping to catch her in time, but to no avail. A bird like heartless had grabbed her and was carrying her off. They all just froze, but Cid got them back in motion almost immediately.

"There is nothing we can do! Lets go NOW"

Cid pulled Squall back to his feet and the four of them continued up the rising falls. Not too far away, Jade was watching. Watching as her friends abandoned her, not even trying to rescue her... Maybe they weren't her friends at all.


	2. Growing Darkness

Jade had past out shortly after seeing Cid and the others run to safety, while leaving her behind. She soon woke up, finding herself in some sort of lab. She stumbled a bit as she got up. Was this what was in the depths of hollow bastion? Everything was so... Different. The machine before her bore a mark similar to the one she saw on the creature that had captured her. The machine was filled with some kind of pulsating black fluid. Was this thing what was creating the monsters? She had to stop it, some how. But being a six year old kid, she didn't know where to start. So she did what any other kid would do. She gave it a good kick.

Kicking it, unfortuneately, was not a good idea. She grabbed her toe as it seered in pain. "Owie owie owiee!" She fell back onto her hind quarters and massaged her hurt foot. She didn't get up until a low voice penitrated her ears.

"So, you were the one the heartless captured"

Jade spun around to face a cloaked man who had his face hidden behind a hood. She stepped back, her handsthrown up at him, just daring him to give her a reason to cast a spell. But the man just stopped in his tracks.

"Please Jade, I don't want to hurt you. On the contrary, I am here to help you." he said soothingly.

Jade put her hands down. He wanted to help... Her? But wasn't he the one who was creating the creatures-the heartless as man called them-that attacked them all? Jade was confused, and suspicious. She had to say something.  
"How do you know my name? Why would you want to help me? What do you want"  
The man simply laughed quietly in amusement. He had only expected such a reaction from a young girl. But he would get what he wanted, and he wanted Jade.

"Please young child. I hate seeing my people suffer. I only wish to help you get away from your so called friends"  
Jade stepped back. 'His people'... But he couldn't be... He had been missing even longer than Kairi. How could he be here? This man couldn't be.

"Ansem? You're Ansem, Ruler of Hollow Bastion?" Jade questioned, and Ansem nodded. Jade was now in awe. He was rumored to have been killed when he tried to leave Hollow Bastion. But he was alive. For a young girl like Jade, he looked like a hero. "But, They are my friends... Why do you speak like they are not"

Ansem shook his head, as if ridiculing the ideas of a small child. "Jade, they never considered you their friend. They only used you for their own games." Ansem began pacing the room, while Jade listened quite reluctantly. "Didn't they always make you 'it' for every single game?" Jade nodded, "Didn't they always make you go into hidden places first, just so they wouldn't have to?" Jade nodded again, looking as if she were about to cry. "Didn't Sephiroth dare you to go down the secret corridor alone?" Tears were dropping down the side of Jade's cheeks as she once again nodded. "Didn't they just abandon you at Rising Falls, without even trying to save you from the Heartless"

"Y-yes... They did... They, They never really were my friends... Your right, all they did was use me. How could they..." Jade was now on her knees, crying. The truth was hard to take, especially for this young girl.

Ansem knelt down beside Jade and placed his hands on her shoulder. "Now now young Jade. You don't have to take it sitting down. You can act on them. Show them that you are more than just a pawn in their chess game. Take revenge on them. Make them pay for everything that they did to you. Make them pay... With their lives"

Jade took everything in. He was right. He was the only one she could trust now. He was her only true friend. She nodded. She wasn't crying anymore. Now, she was focused on getting revenge on those who used her. She would kill them. "Give me something to fight with. I will not let them trample on me. I am not their door mat"

Ansem laughed silently to himself. All was going well. Jade had taken the bait and the darkness in her heart was spreading. It was only a matter of time until he could fully use her rage to his own advantage. She wanted a weapon, and he would give her one. He raised his hand for a few seconds and a Katana materialized, and fell to the floor with a loud 'clank'. "Use it well. There are heartless you can practise on in the chapel"

Jade nodded, picked up the katana with minor difficulty and turned towards the exit, but Ansem stopped her. "You can use a portal to get there." Jade cocked her head sideways as Ansem waved his hand a few times. A swirl of black and purple smoke was then manifested before them. She nodded again jumped through the portal, towards the chapel.


	3. Darkness in Training

The chapel was small and dimly lit. Jade had reappeared at the main entrance. She gazed upon the obsidian colored walls. This place was holy, but Jade could sense that it had become just as tainted as the rest of the building. No god could save this world. The heartless have been released and were spreading to different worlds already. But Jade didn't come here to think about what was going on outside. For all she cared, the universe could rot under the feet of the heartless.  
Then she saw it. A heartless. The first thing that came to mind when she saw this one was shadow. That was the name of this particular type of heartless. How she knew that, was beyond her, but she didn't care. She was going to destroy this heartless just like she was going to destroy those who played her for a fool.  
She heaved the katana upward, ready to strike. The sword wasn't oh my gosh its so heavy I can't lift it heavy, but it did weigh her down. It also made it difficult to aim. She ran toward the lone heartless, and swung the katana in its direction-and missed. The heartless then rebounded and countered the attack with it's shark claws.  
Jade screamed as the heartless sliced across her face. It wasn't supposed to be this way. She was supposed to beat this thing. It was supposed to be twitching on the floor. Rage built up inside her, and she took another swing at the heartless. This time she made a hit, and the heartless faded out of existence. She then collapsed on the floor. It hit her just now, she wasn't ready for an opponent. Not yet. She couldn't even hold up her sword. She got up again. No more heartless appeared. She then began slicing at the air. She continued doing this for several hours. Unbeknownst to Jade, Ansem was watching from above.  
"Continue training my pawn. Your powers remain untapped, but soon you will know more power than you could ever dream"  
Ansem then swiftly vanished from his hiding place, back to his quarters. Jade would become strong, and she will harness the darkness that sleeps within her very heart. Then all worlds will be his for the taking. 


	4. More Annoyances and Targets All Around

Nine years past, and so goes the innocence of childhood. Jade is 15 now, and the darkness in her heart seems immeasureable. All through the years, she spent her time training herself in the chapel, and on the odd occassion, Ansem would send her to another world so she could lead the heartless to it, so they in turn would find the keyhole and shroud the planet in darkness.  
It was a long time to wait to take revenge on those who used her, but Ansem had taught her patience. She understood that rushing in would only lead to her own demise. She would wait, and keep training herself while putting up with the small group of outsiders that Ansem had let into the castle. These outsiders, Jafar, Oogie Boogie, Ursula, Captain Hook and Maleficent, had no clear objective in Jade's perspective, besides to help Ansem spread darkness throughout the universe. She was definitely suspicous of them, so she went to consult Ansem about them.

"They are weak, but efficient, Jade. What ever they wish to accomplish will end in failure." replied Ansem idley without removing his gaze from the computer he was working at when Jade approached him. "They will hasten our progress towards our goal of spreading the darkness, and then they will be consumed by it"

Jade thought about it for a moment. They were basically using them, just like Jade's 'friends' used her. Well, she no longer cared why she wanted revenge anymore. She just wanted to make everyone pay for everything they did to her, and she didn't care what path she took as long as the path would lead her to her goal. But there were still other problems.

"I see. But they are annoying. They are using MY training room to plan their idiotic schemes!" Jade shouted, though Ansem barely flinched.

"One must make sacrifices for the sake of progress Jade. You can go train down in the entrance hall." said Ansem dully. He clearly wasn't in the mood to be dealling with Jade's problems at the moment. Currently he had most of his focus on a small screen that desplayed footage of a small cave with drawings of various things on the walls, a large wooden door at the end and a small silver haired boy sitting alone on a rock, holding some sort of sword that looked more like a key.

"They are trying to tell me what to do!" Jade persisted.

"And you will obey them." said Ansem in a tone that told Jade that she had lost the arguement. Ansem finally turned his gaze from the computer screen to Jade, and looked at the girl straight in the eyes, and Jade stared back into the face which was still covered under that brown hood he always wore.

Ansem was aware that Maleficent and the others were making themselves a bit too comfortable, but he didn't have too many people to work with. He could not go out on his own. To reveal himself would be foolishness, and it would also be putting himself at risk. Jade had her own goals, and could easily let her mind stray from any task that he had given her to take out one of her friends. He needed someone reliable.

After a few seconds of staring at each other, Ansem finally broke the silence. "There is another world I want you to go after. Its a small island world so you should have no trouble with it. In the mean time I will also try to straighten out a few of your problems. Go"

Jade, though not entirely convinced that her problems would be solved, nodded, and Ansem made her a portal that would take her to her destination, and she went through quickly.


End file.
